Tinikling
The tinikling is the combination of grace and movement of feet with the dancer struggling on its feet between poles of bamboo. Tinikling evolved into a national dance inspired by the Philippine Heron popularly known as “Tikling”. The dance follows the movement of the Heron over grass where it makes motions of a dance. The dance originally came from Leyte. The popularity of the dance soared with the efforts of former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos’ efforts to promote it, particularly through the Leyte Kalipayan Dance Company.
In the present version of the dance in today’s milieu, the severe and reproving hunt against the suspected purveyors of corruption led the President of the previous administration to seek treatment for her ailment in a foreign country.
The Philippine Government under its current leadership promises to fight corruption to the very end and prosecute those that are found to have violated anti-corruption laws and regulations.
Not to be outdone, the incumbent President barred the past chief executive from travel and promised to pay for the expenses of her foreign doctors.
The incumbent President, Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III, appears to be dancing the Tinikling with former president now Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo seriously.
According to one of his supporters, the President can boost his drive to clean up the government of corruption by stopping the practice of using the defense and military’s resources for the benefit of a minority in the armed services and very lucky persons in Malacañang. This holds true for all the other departments and agencies of government.
During the past administrations, a lot of money was allocated for purchases that are merely designed to line the pockets of a few people. The purchase of killer jets and airplanes for the Philippine military claimed the precious lives of many officers of the Philippine Air Force. The purchase of the second hand choppers for the police is another case in point. The list goes on and on and on.
The military has a budget approaching the size and heft of nearly one hundred billion. The police has an allocation close at the heels of the military. Lagging behind is the recently separated service of the Philippine Navy – the Philippine Coast Guard that does not even get a pledge of half of the military and the police allocation.
But ask for the enhancement of a particular service and you will be rewarded with a standard reply: “We have no money for that.”
Subsequently, for many elements of the uniformed services waiting for project funds, the standard quip is: “Wait further for releases.”
So where does almost one hundred billion pesos go to? In the case of the police, where does the nearly sixty to seventy billion pesos go to? Now we know, and certainly now we hear of very high ranking persons going to jail to answer for their crimes. But is everyone involved in the crimes being held accountable? That is the problem.
To think that vital institutions like the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) receive a mere pittance of the combined hundreds of billions of funds supposed to be given to the uniformed services, and presidents have to eat up their budget by bringing in a military band during presidential engagements at Fort del Pilar in Baguio where PMA cadets struggle to finish their meager scholarship.
Spending on bringing over a military band just to play for a president and depriving the PMA as an institution, the cadets and professors of their already measly budget, forces the military academy to dance the Tinikling. Will I spend on this? Will I not? That becomes the predicament of the PMA Superintendent and his staff as well.
So it goes for its counterpart police academy. But even the president of the most powerful country in the world does not enjoy this privilege of having a band tagging along at his behind. Perchance, a simple presidential proclamation or administrative order, or letter of instruction could be made to put this practice to an end once and for all.
While it is good to engage in exercise and physical training, for petty reasons our government workers should not be made to dance the Tinikling. Their feet might suddenly get caught by the thorny poles of bamboo and they will surely not like the cause and source of the injury.
Indeed, let the fight against corruption continue, but let it be a sincere effort. Let it also be most of all, a fight against needless, mindless overspending. Spending beyond the design of any budget is the mother of corruption after all.
Lufthansa vs. PAL
In October of 2009, the German flag carrier Lufthansa told investors during a meeting that it was confronted with considerable risks in regard to its income targets even as it was bringing in revenue somewhat higher than the same period in the previous year, 2008.
A number of factors led to the airline’s current plight. Management cannot be blamed for its predicament but the executives of Lufthansa point to external factors as the cause of its blight.
The roots of the problem were traced to fresh oil price increases and weak passenger demand. Lufthansa shares of stocks went down by 5.5 %, closing at Euro 10.37 from its original price. The flag carrier of Germany was certain they can clarify the problem with their report of an almost hostile environment.
The German airline predicted the problem to subsist in that year. Other airlines like United Kingdom’s BMI British Midland and Austrian Airlines that Lufthansa availed were only going to bring in break even or negative earnings in the coming months.
In the United States, the prospects did not look rosier. Several U.S. airlines, the American Airlines (AAL) and US Airways (USAW) tried drastic measures to plug costs in the face of the shortfalls in travel and tourism demands. AAL was scheduled close down its maintenance facility in Kansas and downgrade its stations around the country leading to the lay-offs of no less than 700 workers.
USAW forms part of Lufthansa’s Star Alliance of international carriers – supposedly to suspend or totally discontinue regular routes between Philadelphia and five landing destinations in Europe, causing the retrenchment of more or less 1,000 personnel.
To compound its problems further, in July 2011, Lufthansa was rebuked having a hostile policy in terms of granting Accessibility to special passengers like disabled persons. Even the United Nations itself, was antagonized by the airline when it refused to allow on board UN’s Special Rapporteur on Disability, Shuaib Chalklen April 4, 2011 who has flown unaccompanied for the last 15 years. Chalklen tried in vain to board SWISS flight LX 353 on a routine one hour and 40 minute journey from London UK to Geneva, Switzerland. SWISS is owned by Lufthansa.
European Commission reports that the airline limited the number of special passengers or Persons of Reduced Mobility (PRMs) allowed to travel on any given flight.
There are other pressing problems besetting the airline. On the other hand, a similar case is that of the Philippine flag carrier Philippine Air Lines (PAL).
The airline’s ledgers had been in the red for quite some time now – at one time it suffered a loss of 90 billion. PAL’s high operating costs against its downsliding income due to world economic recession, international travel and exports slump are at a record low. According to allevii’s blog, PAL’s own predicament began as early as 1998 and fairly recently during the events of 2008.
PAL downsized its organization and resolved to out-task its operations, reduce its fleet and lay off workers.
Given its detractors, like Lufthansa what options will PAL have? PAL inevitably has to survive and do all these, but at what cost? Right now, it faces several cases from the Regional Courts, right up to the Supreme Court.
Unlike Lufthansa however, PAL does not seem to have the full support of the government. The political party of the Presidential Political Adviser, has come out openly in support of the retrenched employees of the airline in a Privilege Speech at Congress. The adviser’s party also accused PAL of economic sabotage. On the other hand, the adviser’s boss, the chief executive is trying to do a balancing act by dishing out statements in support of PAL.
In comparison, while Lufthansa is wavering in its economic posture and is threatened with harsher realities during the coming European Union’s economic crisis, it has everything it needs to be able to weather the storm. It can even face the United Nations squarely in the face and give it hell. Whereas, PAL, appears to be the whipping boy of nearly everyone, the political adviser of the incumbent president among them. Can it wage a confrontation with even a lowly trade organization of ASEAN? I wonder. Are we hoping for better things to come for the Philippine’s national flag carrier?
Implications for Philippine economy
If Europe suffers economic shortfalls, Philippine business and the entire economy will terribly be affected, despite the fact that the economy is boosted by OFW remittances and exports at the present. If a European crisis starts kicking, even our exports will suffer a painful slowdown. GDP markers will shoot down as a result.
Remittances will already be affected by the trend in the Middle East of hiring locals instead of foreign workers. To the uninitiated, a lot of poor Saudis live below the marginal subsistence line in their land. A compassionate Saudi government for instance, cannot afford to let its own people live in inhuman conditions. Thus the new emergent policy of easing out foreign workers and placing locals in their stead. Such move could affect the myriad of Filipino workers now in the Middle East, most especially if the other MidEast countries follow suit.
This inevitably does not augur well for the administration of Pres. Benigno Aquino. With a slew of internal problems now troubling and soon to hit the Philippines like multiple whammies, with its business feeling the pain of an unresponsive and penny pinching regime, there is nowhere for the country to go but down.
Any cosmeticizing by the Malacanang Palace cannot save the day.
Europe’s future very bleak
Greece fiscal future is not good. This bodes not too well for the future of Europe’s economy. Unmitigated borrowings by Greece has left if mired in sovereign debt that pushed the Greek economy into a downward spin.
The downfall of Greece will cause a weakening of the Euro. In the event that the Euro suffers devaluation, all other economies around the world will feel the punch and a global recession is bound to occur between this year up to the next. With more serious devastating calamities hitting the planet, the problems will compound for all of us.
The U.S. which is already feeling the crunch, will not be able to escape the slump and downturn.
People Suffering from Mindanao Hostilities
Report from Mindanao
Bombing in Basilan
On October 7, 2009, a bomb exploded at Roxas St., Barangay Malins, Lamitan, Basilan. The suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion resulted in injuries of two persons: Ester Columbres, 62 years old, and Amboy Kalbi, 33 years old, both married and both residents of Lamitan Municipality, Basilan. The responding policemen promptly brought the injured victims to the Isabela City Hospital for immediate medical treatment. Investigators recovered from the crime scene several assorted nails, plastic and a can, believed to have been a part of IED that was placed inside garbage bin. Since no one claimed the bomb attack, authorities still have not identified the suspect or suspects in the said crime.
IDPs in Mindanao growing in numbers
Report from Mindanao
ASG Fierce Attack on Soldiers’ Camp
A few days following the government offensive during Ramadan against the Abu Sayyaf, Commander Habier Malik and the Abu Sayyaf Group threatened JIHAD against the government. Malik warned civilians in the vicinity of Camp General Teodoro Bautista to leave the area. Many residents living near the military camp were evacuated to different evacuation centers.
On October 6, 2009, the Muslim rebels / terrorists made true of their threat. A very large force of ASG and suspected members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), mounted a fierce attack against government troops based in Camp General Teodoro Bautista in Brgy. Bus-bus, Jolo, Sulu and another force at Jolo Airport, by artillery shelling with mortar and M203 rocket launchers and high powered rifles.
Fortunately for the soldiers, the PNP augmentation troops stationed at the Provincial Capitol, Patikul, Sulu and the at Jolo Airport, immediately responded to the first burst of fire and engaged the attacking armed elements and were able to repulse the same. The terrorist elements retreated to vegetated area surrounding Camp Bautista and Jolo Airport.
As of this writing, there are no reported casualties from the government side, but undetermined casualties from the group of the ASG and suspected MNLF component. However, thousands of displaced persons are suffering from the conflict and the continuing hostilities. Aside from these, bombing attacks happen nearly every day in Sulu. As of the last count, US soldiers and local military as well as many civilians have already died in the daily attacks by the terrorists.
Soldiers attack Abu Sayyaf in Sulu
Media Release on Mindanao
Muslim extremists were attacked with shelling and aerial bombing in the town of Indanan, Sulu in Southern Philippines.
The number of casualties are undetermined. The attack is being denounced by leaders of the Muslim community for being made during the period of the Ramadan. Commanders of the terrorist group, Abu Sayyaf and breakaway elements of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) vowed to wage JIHAD against the government as a result.
The Insect Stews The Snake
Untitled
An insect called, to a snake, it cried:
What is sympathy?
The snake replies:
I have no knowledge about what you are talking about
I have sympathy
For someone great as you
O snake.
Sympathy for what?
Just sympathy.
Do you want me to spell it for you?
No need.
So will you take my sympathy?
What for?
Because you could be greater!
Speak.
I shall not encroach. Not anymore.
In fact, I might just do that
But only to help you.
What then?
All the human paper I absconded with
And ate
All the illness I wrought
All the suffering I caused
All the death
They be gone, gone.
Forgotten.
How?
You are the Great One, aren’t you?
So?
You will make them go.
No I don’t.
Then I’ll give them the juice
About the 200.
Mindanao War: Anatomy of a Counterfeit Conflict
It’s all out in the open now: the government will review the documentations relevant to the peace process with MILF. It is also seeking the help of MNLF. And there is absolutely no actual war in Mindanao; in fairness to blogger Girbaudz whose fearless forecast was that conflict will erupt in Mindanao and actually did, there were skirmishes. But these skirmishes do not make a real war. Girbaudz was right up to a certain extent. Or even possibly right all the way. As the situation stands, there is no authentic but a counterfeit Conflict now in Southern Philippines. And it is not the fault of government but the making of persons who would wish for destabilization to ruin this country. Read this post here…
Mindanao is really meant for its original people…
Now I see what good will come out of the stupid ripostes in various fora about the Mindanao Peace Process. And it will be a lot of good, a really, really lot of good. I only recently made a comment in The Warrior Lawyer’s Blog. That simple comment gave me an inspiration to write this post.
Linked item:
Noralyn Mustafa, To be or not to be Bangsamoro. Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Neither Threaten Nor Ever Twiddle With Might
You will never understand why there is a war in Mindanao. The both sides blame people like MILF Commander Umbracato. Now while Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are negotiating a peace agreement in Mindanao, government is waging almost a full-scale war against their counterpart? GRP and MILF were supposed to sign an agreement at Marriot Hotel, Selangur, Putrajaya, Malaysia but Supreme Court issued an injunction and aborted said signing.
Supreme Court deeply embarrassed a lot of people. The United States of America Ambassador Kristie Kenney of the US Embassy in the Philippines, Organization of the Islamic Conference Ambassador Sayed Elm Masry, Japan Ambassador Makoto Katsura, and Australian Ambassador Roderick Smith were in Malaysia to be witnesses to the signing.
An international diplomatic faux pas. And the anti-Glorias are demanding the axing of the head of Hermogenes Esperon. Needless to say Supreme Court and the enemies of Gloria Arroyo had a different agenda. They want the talks and entire process scuttled. And after that, they want more. They want an impeachment. They want people power. They want to rule in a new government they will establish. They want the drugs. They want the money from kidnapping. They want the money robbed in banks and simple, helpless withdrawers. They want the protection skim from smuggling. A law enforcement Agency head who is secretly one of them, is a silent coordinator for their stupid bunch. He collects from Eighty up to Two Hundred Million a month (!) in these times of poverty and want, to live with them in grandeur and great comfort. The fucking corrupt want the country to die and Filipinos to wallow in abject suffering in this dying carcass of a nation.
The nincompoop politicians from the opposition tell everyone and sundry that they are studying their options over whether or not to support MILF in the war against the government. Studying options my ass! They have already determined to conduct a new wave of killings, bombings, rallies, ambushes, crime operations, hate and black propaganda campaigns to pursue Gloria’s impeachment, fight cha cha and to ostensibly to kill Gloria’s chances of running again in 2010 nor extending her presidency beyond that period. The fools!
Moreover in the separate assessment provided here, MILF and political opposition will not be able to join forces against the government. It is like mixing oil with water. The belief is that the forthcoming destabilization actions will put an incredible amount of salt on the already painful injury of the Government and MILF following the killed MOA signing on the Ancestral Domains claims between GRP and MILF. The US Ambassador, OIC Ambassador, Japanese Ambassador, Australian Ambassador, were humiliated in Malaysia for standing in support of that event.
The politicians and for-hire Supreme Court might not know they are playing with fire. And that certainly it is a big, big fire. At the end of the game, the political opposition, Justices, the civil society whom blogger Ezky calls New Civil Society of Lesbians and One Vacla, the left and right, and their allies inside the government feeding them morsels of information on when to make their sabotage moves, despicable destabilization actions and operations, will be flushed out and could be hung for their obnoxious treatment of the peace talks in Mindanao. In the end, it might not just be the dustbin of history where they will find themselves buried, but rather more immediately, six feet below the ground or scattered in the wastelands for vultures to feed on. Click here to read the rest of the post…
